Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelku 7372’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelku 7372’, characterized by its upright to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBELKU 7372’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbelku 7372’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new trailing and freely branching Calibrachoa plants with numerous large and attractively colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2009 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CR177-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CR183-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since July, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelku 7372’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbelku 7372’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Upright to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively large dark red-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Calibrachoa are more trailing than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection differ slightly in flower color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have orange red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of Calibrachoa ‘Suncalred’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,831. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Suncalred’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were broader than plants of         ‘Suncalred’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more trailing than and not         as upright as plants of ‘Suncalred’.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had longer internodes than         plants of ‘Suncalred’.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants         of ‘Suncalred’.     -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter peduncles than         plants of ‘Suncalred’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelku 7372’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelku 7372’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbelku 7372’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CR177-01, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CR183-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Initially upright to trailing plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 60.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 33 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Mostly outward.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137D; venation, close to 144C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 4.6 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 119 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright or outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three             to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,             flowering naturally commences during the spring and plants             flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn             in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.6 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 7.1 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.3 cm.             Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Color: Close to 60C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.3 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Truncate. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close             to 53A; towards the throat, close to 187A. Petal, when             opening, lower surface: Close to 53A. Petal, fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 53B; towards the throat, close to             187B; venation, close to 187A. Petal, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 54B; venation, close to 54B. Throat: Close             to 7A; venation, close to N186A. Tube: Close to 8B;             venation, close to 203C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped tubular calyx tube with             five sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 6.8 mm to             10.2 mm. Sepal width: About 2.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.             Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: Immature,             upper surface: Close to 143B. Immature, lower surface: Close             to 143C. Mature, upper surface: Close to 143A. Mature, lower             surface: Close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.             Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Stamen length: About 9.5 mm to 12.8 mm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.1 mm by 1.3 mm. Anther             color: Close to 3A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 1.2 cm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             145A. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelku 7372’ as illustrated and described. 